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Beckham earns White Sox defensive award

Beckham earns White Sox defensive award

9/29/13: Gordon Beckham makes a diving stop at second, then throws across to retire Irving Falu at first in the top of the seventh

By Scott Merkin
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MLB.com |

CHICAGO -- Gordon Beckham was named the White Sox 2013 Wilson Defensive Player of the Year, as announced during an MLB Network program Thursday night.

The 27-year-old second baseman joined Detroit center fielder Austin Jackson, Cleveland catcher Yan Gomes, Royals center fielder Lorenzo Cain and Twins second baseman Brian Dozier as the American League Central winners. Beckham finished with 12 errors and 255 assists during a season limited to 103 games by a trio of injuries. He also helped turn 69 double plays.

Beckham posted a .990 fielding percentage in 2012 but ended up at .975 this season. His range factor per nine innings was 4.75 and his range factor per game was 4.53, according to baseball reference, which were both around the league average at second base.

This 2013 season was an extremely disappointing one defensively for a 99-loss White Sox team, with the group finishing second in the AL at 121 errors and second from the bottom with a .980 fielding percentage. But Beckham was certainly one of the steadier defensive players among this group, as he has been since moving to second base after playing third in his 2009 rookie campaign.

Founded in 2012, the Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Award winners are determined by using a formula that balances scouting information, Sabermetric analysis and basic fielding statistics. As announced last year on MLB Network, outfielders Mike Trout and Michael Bourn were each named the inaugural Wilson Defensive Player of the Year in their respective leagues, while the Atlanta Braves were the first to be named as the Wilson Defensive Team of the Year.

Dustin Pedroia and Gerardo Parra were each named the 2013 Wilson Defensive Player of the Year in their respective leagues. The Baltimore Orioles and Kansas City Royals tied as the AL's top defensive club, while the Arizona Diamondbacks won the award in the National League.

These players had an 80 games played minimum to be judged for the award.

The GIBBY trophy for Defensive Player of the Year will be awarded as part of the 2013 Greatness in Baseball Yearly Awards, which are based on voting by media, front-office personnel, MLB alumni and the Society for American Baseball Research, as well as fan balloting on MLB.com.

Voting launched on Oct. 31 and will continue through Dec. 1. Fans will be able to cast their ballots at MLB.com for the year's top defensive star, with no individual league affiliation.

Scott Merkin is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Merk's Works, and follow him on Twitter @scottmerkin. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.